Re: Official State Dinosaurs

[Tompaleo@aol.com]

<< Texas is about to name an official state dinosaur (Pleurocoelus, an
 unremarkable small brachiosaurid).
 
 Can anyone direct me to a listing of other Official State Dinosaurs and/or
 "State Fossils" ?  Thanks!
  >>

Maryland has a 'semi'-official state dinosaur. Astrodon (cf. Pleurocoelus)
johnstoni for about 8 years or so but the former and current governors have
no interest in making an official declaration. God only know why!

Funny though, if Astrodon turns out to have priority over Pleurocoelus, then
Texans will be left with an invalid taxon!

Along those lines, Maryland does have a state fossil. A lowly Miocene
gastropod now called Ecphora gardinere . When originally selected to be the
state fossil, it was called E. quadricostata. The exact details escape me but
I am reasonably sure the latter turned out to be a junior synonym and was
only caught after the selection and announcement much to the chagrin of our
bureacrats!

Regards,
Thomas R. Lipka
Paleontological/Geological Studies

Long live Astrodon!